CHC Client-Centered Health Planning & Communication 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A client says, 'I know I should exercise, but I just can't seem to start.' This statement BEST illustrates:
- Lack of health literacy
- Ambivalence about behavior change (Correct answer)
- Poor goal-setting skills
- Resistance to coaching
Correct answer: Ambivalence about behavior change
Expressing simultaneous desire ('I know I should') and inability ('I can't start') is a classic sign of ambivalence, a normal part of the change process.
Question 2: Which technique helps a coach identify a client's values that can anchor long-term health behavior change?
- Administering a standardized health risk appraisal
- Using values clarification exercises or open-ended questions about what matters most to the client (Correct answer)
- Reviewing the client's medical history for chronic disease risk factors
- Asking the client to rank standard health behaviors by importance
Correct answer: Using values clarification exercises or open-ended questions about what matters most to the client
Values clarification uncovers intrinsic motivators that make behavior change personally meaningful and sustainable.
Question 3: When a client achieves a milestone goal, the coach's MOST effective response is to:
- Immediately raise the difficulty of the next goal to maintain momentum
- Acknowledge the achievement and invite the client to reflect on what made it possible (Correct answer)
- Record the milestone and move forward to the next agenda item
- Credit the coaching process for helping the client succeed
Correct answer: Acknowledge the achievement and invite the client to reflect on what made it possible
Inviting reflection strengthens the client's self-efficacy by helping them recognize their own capabilities and strategies.
Question 4: Health literacy in a coaching context refers to a client's ability to:
- Read and understand clinical laboratory reports independently
- Obtain, process, and understand basic health information to make informed decisions (Correct answer)
- Follow a coach's written instructions for lifestyle changes
- Use technology to track and share health metrics
Correct answer: Obtain, process, and understand basic health information to make informed decisions
Health literacy encompasses the skills needed to find, understand, and act on health information, which coaches must assess and support.
Question 5: A client from a collectivist cultural background wants to include family members in health decision-making. The coach should:
- Explain that coaching is a private process between coach and client only
- Respect the client's cultural values and explore how family involvement can support the plan (Correct answer)
- Limit family input to avoid potential conflicts with the client's goals
- Require written consent from all family members before proceeding
Correct answer: Respect the client's cultural values and explore how family involvement can support the plan
Culturally competent coaching honors diverse decision-making norms and leverages family support as a potential health asset.
Question 6: The transtheoretical model's 'preparation' stage is BEST characterized by a client who:
- Is not yet thinking about changing their health behavior
- Is thinking about change but not planning to start within 30 days
- Intends to take action within 30 days and has begun small steps (Correct answer)
- Has maintained new health behaviors for more than six months
Correct answer: Intends to take action within 30 days and has begun small steps
In the preparation stage, the client is committed to imminent action and has often taken initial steps, making this an ideal time to formalize a plan.
Question 7: A client's health plan should be revised when:
- The coach identifies a more evidence-based approach to the client's condition
- The client's circumstances, preferences, or progress indicate the current plan is no longer effective (Correct answer)
- Three months have passed since the plan was last updated
- The client requests a change without giving a clear reason
Correct answer: The client's circumstances, preferences, or progress indicate the current plan is no longer effective
Plans are living documents that should evolve in response to the client's real-world experience and shifting needs, not on arbitrary timelines.
CHC Client-Centered Health Planning & Communication 3
A client says, 'I know I should exercise, but I just can't seem to start.' This statement BEST illustrates: